Report to:
Development Services Committee Date:
SUBJECT:
PREPARED BY: Learie Miller, Senior Environmental Planner extension 6922
RECOMMENDATION:
Whereas the Rouge Park
Implementation Task Force report dated
And Whereas the staff report
entitled “Rouge Park Implementation Task Force Report – Staff Comments” dated
And Whereas Council authorized the circulation of the Task Force report, and invited comments from agencies, boards, adjacent municipalities and the Provincial and Federal Governments;
And Whereas the comments received from agencies, boards, adjacent municipalities, Provincial and Federal Governments along with other stakeholders including residents in the Rouge Park culminated in a Markham workshop held on April 16, 2009;
Be it resolved that the staff
report entitled “Rouge Park Implementation Task Force Report – Summary of
Comments from Stakeholders” dated
And that the revised Rouge Park Implementation Task Force Recommendations attached as Appendix ‘A’ to this report be endorsed by Council as direction for further discussion and negotiation with the Rouge Park Alliance;
And that
staff report back to Council with an update on the Little Rouge Creek
Management Plan and Bob Hunter Master Plan consistent with the Task Force
recommendations;
And that Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of
this report is to update Council on the input received to date following the
receipt of the recommendations of the Rouge Park Implementation Task Force. The
report also requests endorsation of revised recommendations of the Rouge Park
Implementation Task Force for the purpose of discussion and negotiations regarding
the further advancement and development of the
BACKGROUND:
On
Council
requested staff comments on the Task Force recommendations which were provided
in a report (Appendix ‘C’) dated
DISCUSSION:
As a result of
the input received at the workshop, and actions already undertaken by the Rouge
Park Alliance such as the Governance Review and agricultural tenant discussions,
a follow up meeting of the Rouge Park Implementation Task Force was held on
In June 2009, the Rouge Park Alliance retained Strategy
Corp Inc and Hemson Consulting to undertake a Governance, Organization and
Finance Review of the Rouge Park Alliance. A Steering Committee
consisting of the Chairman and a cross section of the members of the
The consultants are expected to
work closely with the Steering Committee on five key
deliverables:
1. A set of feasible governance
options.
2. Funding strategy.
3. Management and organization
structure to plan, operate and manage the
park.
4. Reconciling the addition of
new lands and changing use/leisure patterns with
the vision/goal and objectives
of the
5. Developing and implementing
an effective strategy for engaging the broader
membership of the
discussions of the first four deliverables listed above. To date three
workshops have been held with member of the steering committee and a workshop
is planned for members of the Rouge Park Alliance on
Region of
On
Recommendation 3.a.1
To rely on the Region, the TRCA and MOE to continuously monitor groundwater regimes and stream flows to determine any necessary adjustments to municipal groundwater withdrawals for the Stouffville community to ensure sustainable stream flow in affected tributaries.
Staff have incorporated the recommendation in Appendix ‘A’.
The Regional report also commented on the statement in the Task Force report referring to higher infrastructure standards. The region has identified that the current requirements in the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt Plans impose high standards and that higher standards than those currently in place are not necessary as evidenced in the Southeast Collector EA process which meets or exceeds the principles addressed in the Task Force report.
The RPITF
recommends that the Town and Region contribute $150,000 each to the
City of Toronto
On August 5 and
6, 2009 Toronto City Council adopted a Members Motion by Councillor De
Baeremaeker, seconded by Councillor Moeser to seek Federal and Provincial
support for the creation of a 40, 000 acre
Rouge Valley National Park ( see Appendix G).
Presumably this governance option will be considered, among others as part of the Rouge Park Alliance Governance Review.
Staff has been informed that a
draft response to the RPITF recommendations has been prepared by
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE: (external link)
A number of the
recommendations proposed by the RPITF could have short and long term financial
implications for the Town. The major
financial recommendation supporting specific
HUMAN RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS
Not Applicable
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
The recommendations support a number of the Town’s strategic priorities including those related to the environment, growth management, transportation/transit, municipal services and Parks and Recreation.
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The RPITF
recommendations, and staff comments on those recommendations were circulated
internally to Community Services, Operations, Finance, Heritage, Legal, and
By-Law Departments, and their comments, where provided, have been incorporated.
In addition a number of the Town’s staff participated in the
RECOMMENDED BY:
________________________________ ____________________________________
Valerie
Shuttleworth M.C.I.P., R.P.P
Jim Baird M.C.I.P., R.P.P
Director
of Planning and Urban Design
Commissioner of Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Appendix ‘A’:
RPITF Revised Recommendations
Appendix ‘B’:
Recommendations
Appendix ‘C’:
Appendix ‘D’:
Summary of the April 16, 2009
Workshop
Appendix ‘E’:
Summary Table of RPITF Recommendations, Staff Position, and
Additional Comments and
Revised Recommendations
Appendix ‘F’: Region
of
Appendix ‘G’
City of
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